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Jan 2003 SKATE BEARINGS AND WHEELS
What would roller skates be without wheels and bearings? What would they be with wheels and no bearings, or with bearings and no wheels? Well, two things they would not be are (1) rolling and (2) skates. Without bearings your skate wheels would turn but the roll would be anything but smooth, quiet and enjoyable. Bearings are what allow the wheels to turn freely and without noise. They are not only found in skate wheels but in a number of appliances and items we use everyday. Washing machines, dishwashers, vacuums, cake mixers, car transmissions, almost anything that has a motor has bearings involved in its operation. Without them, the motors would run loudly and would rapidly wear out from excessive friction. Bearings greatly reduce the friction caused when two surfaces are sliding against each other and allow the surfaces to instead roll over each other which increases speed, cuts noise and allows smoother operation. ROLLER SKATE BEARINGS Skate bearings are small donut shaped casings which contain tiny metal balls. The casings can have one or both sides sealed. A precision bearing has both sides sealed and the balls are packed in grease inside. These require little maintenance and may last the life of the skates. Semi sealed bearings are closed on the outer side while the inner side exposes the metal balls to view. These bearings have to be lubricated regularly and do not offer the longevity or quality of precision bearings. Many bearings are rated on what is known as the ABEC (Annular Bearing Engineering Council) scale which grades on a scale from 1-9 (odd numbers only). The higher the rating, the better the quality of bearing, the smoother the roll and, as to be expected, the higher the price. ABEC1's are good for beginner skaters but as one improves they will want better quality and the standard for recreational skaters is the ABEC3 grade. Higher grades are primarily used by speed skaters. Not all skate bearing manufacturers, however, utilize the ABEC rating system. Bones, a top producer, states that the ABEC system was developed to grade bearings used in electric motors and not those used in skate wheels. They claim their bearings are specifically made for, tested and approved by skaters which they believe makes their bearings a better choice. Individuals will have to make a decision for themselves on which brand of bearing they prefer for their style of skate. ROLLER SKATE WHEELS Wheels are the final components needed to get your ROLL on and they come in a wide variety of prices, colors, designs, brand names and sizes - too many to mention here. The diameter length of the wheel is what determines its size in millimeters and the most common wheel size for recreational or artistic skaters is 57 mm x 30 mm. The width of these smaller wheels allows more precision in turning and dancing on skates. Wheels measuring 62 mm x 40 mm are the primary choice of speed skaters since larger wheels allow you to go much faster than smaller ones. Just as wheel rotation is recommended for cars so also with skates it extends their life and prevents uneven wear. Usual wear points are the inner edges where the majority of a skater’s weight falls. It is advisable to regularly rotate wheels from front to back and also from outer to inner edge (and vice versa.) PRO SHOPS Some skaters are not familiar with how to change wheels or how to insert bearings or how and when to lubricate them, that is why many rinks have pro shops where skate mechanics can do the work for you. Many people drive cars but when it comes time for a lube job or tire rotation most people take their vehicles to the shop for maintenance. So it is with skates, pro shops come in handy for such things or in many cities, if you ask around at your weekly skate session, you can find an avid skater who has performed maintenance on his/her own skates for quite awhile. Such a skater might be willing to (for a few dollars) perform regular tune ups on your skates which will free your mind from maintenance worries and allow you to focus on your main love - ROLLER SKATING. CONCLUSION With that, we close this article series hoping the information was beneficial. For more in depth information, please visit your local pro shop and browse through the catalogs and brochures available there. - Kim Muhammad - *** NOTE: This will be our final Skater’s Clinic. Starting next issue this RST feature will become Bill Butler’s "Good Jammin News." Bill has 50+ years of skate experience, technique, advice and tips to share with skaters, so we are pleased to add his monthly column to RST. In addition, the column will keep readers up-to-date on the latest news, travels and happenings of Bill Butler’s Creative Skate Dance Company. * STAY TUNED! * |